Apparatus for the production of metal dust



March 29 1927.

R. B. FINN APPARATUS FOR THE FROD'UCTION 0F METAL DUST Filed 'April 28, 1926 INVENTGR.

R( B.' FINN Patented Marr. 29, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT B. FINN, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO JOHN FINN vMETAL WORKS, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF METAL LUST.

Application iled-April 28, 1926. Serial No. 105,153.

This invention relatesv to a process and apparatus for the production of metallic dust and has particular reference to the production of zinc dust.

, The principal object of my invention is to produce an apparatus wherein zinc dust will be formed in an absolutely pure state, free from any oxides or other impurities.

Another object is to roduce an apparatus which will accomplis the above purpose, which apparatus is f simple in construction and, therefore, cheap to manufacture.

An additional object is to produce an apparatus which may be manipulated by an -unskilled laborer thereby reducing the cost of production.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent durlng the course of the following description. i

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals 4are employed` to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure I is a vertical cross section oi a heating chamber with a retort positioned therein and a condensing chamber attached to the neck of the retort,` my invention being positioned in the bottom of the condensing chamber, and

Figure II is an enlarged fragmentary detail view showing the modified form of my invention.

In the producing of zinc to be vaporized is placed within a retort, the retort being positioned within a heating chamber and in such a position that the 'neck of the retort projects to a point outside or'A the heat-ing chamber. I then position a coudensing chamber adj acent'the heating chamber insuch a. mannerthat the neck of the retort extends into the condensing chamber and in order to prevent the admixturo of air with the products emanating from the-neck of the retort, I lute any openings which may exist lbetween the retort and the condensing chamber. The lower portion of the condensing chamber consists of a pan into which the products of the condensing chamber are adapted to drop.

It is within this pan that I position my invention which consists primarily of means for collecting the oxides which form in the condenser during the first period of opera.- tion, which oxides must be collected and protected in such a manner that they will dust, the metal` not contaminate the products to be later formed within the condensing chamber. y

The construction of the heating chamber, retort and the condensing chamber is old'in the art and will only be briel'ly referred to.

By now examining the drawings, it will be noted that the numeral 5 designates a furnace having a heatingchamber 6, within which a retortI 7 is positioned, the firebox is indicated in dotted ,lines at 8.

The neck 9 of the retort extends to a point outside of the wall 5 of the ,furnace and is adapted to project through the wall of the condenser, the' upper section of which isdcsignated by the numeral 11.

An angle iron shelf 12is `secured to the side of the condenser and serves to support the luting 13 which forms a seal between as indicated at 17.k Upon opposite sides of the pan I secure a track 18 and by viewing Figure I, it will be notedthat this track is slightly inclined toward the bottom of the pan, the reason forfwhich will be hereinafter described.

At 19 I have shown a rod having a handle 21 positioned'outside of the pan 14, which rod 19 enters the pan through a stuffing box 22 and has secured toits opposite end a blade 23, which blade is the entire width of the pan.

A cover plate y24 is, likewise, secured to the rod 19 and abuts the blade 23. A spring arm is shown at 26 therev being one of these upon each side of the cover plate 24. These spring arms extend upwardly and underlie the tracks 18. i

i In Figure II, I have shown a modified form where it will be noted that the cover` 10o A striker is shown at 28 which striker is positioned upon the rod 19. The result ot this construction is as follows `When the ap aratus is assembled as shown in Figure I an heat is applied to the firebox 8, the temperature in the heating chamber gradually rises heating the retort 7. 'The material within the retort will in due time commence to distill over into the condens-ing chamber 11.

When the apparatus is lirst assembled it is obvious that air is conned in the condensing chamber, the result being that the irst products coming oil from the retort will con` tact this air in the condensing chamber, with a result that an oxide will be formed and for matter of discussion we will call the same zinc oxide, assuming that zinc is contained in the retort. It is a simple matter to observe the temperature of the retort which temperature will indicate to the observer exactly when the distilling process commences and from experience he knows how long it takes for air in the condenser to be exhausted which, of course, eliminates further production of the oxide.

As soon as this point has been reached the operator grasps the handle 21 and pulls the same outwardly so as to cause the blade 28 to scrape across the bottom of the pan 14, until the blade has assumed the dotted line position of Figure I. At this time the cover plate 24 will have abutted the end of the pan adjacent the stuffing box 22, with a re sult that the oxide which has previously fallen upon the pan will have been collected into a chamber formed by the blade, the cover plate, the end wall and a. portion of the bottom of the pan.

The continued operation of the apparatus will result in the forming of pure zinc dust which will fall t0 the pan and after the entire process has been completed, the resultant zinc dust may be gathered from the pan in an absolutely pure state.

In the modified form shown in Figure II, the operation is identical with that above described with the exception that the striker 28 comes in Contact with the lower portion of the hinged cover plate 27 and causes the same to move to a. horizontal position which results in the forming ot' a chamber for the housing of the oxides scraped from the bottom of the pan by the scraper 28 in its travel toward the end of the pan.

It will thus be seen that by the mere manipulation of a rod, it is possible to eli'ectively gather and protect the oxides initially formed in the condenser pan from mixing with the zinc dust to be later formed.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the sub- ]oined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim l. In an apparatus of the character described, a condenser pan, a blade movable over the bottom thereof, and means :for maintaining said blade in contact with the bottom thereof.

2. In an yapparatus of the character described, a con-denser pan, a rod extending into said condenser pan from a point outside thereof, means for reciprocating said rod, a. blade secured to the end of said rod, and a cover plate secured to said rod and abutting said blade.

3. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a condenser pan, a blade positioned within said pan, means for maintaining said blade in contact with the bottom of said pan, means for reciprocating said blade, a cover plate ada ted to co-operate with said blade so as to orm a chamber with said blade and the Walls of said pan, for the purpose specified.

4. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a condenser pan, a blade positioned within said pan and f adapted to contact the bottom and sides thereof, tracks secured to the sides of said pan, a rod secured to said blade, and means carried on said rod and contacting said tracks, for the purpose of maintaining said blade in contact with the bottom of said pan.

5. In an apparatus of the character described, the combination with a condenser pan, a blade positioned within said pan and adapted to contact the bottom and sides thereof, tracks secured to the sides of said pan, a rod secured to said blade, and means carried on said rod and contacting said tracks, for the purpose of maintaining said blade in contact with the bottom of said pan, and a cover plate adapted to abut said blade, for the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT B. FINN. 

